Electronic timing circuit



Jan. 1, 1952 J L, SOLOMON 2,580,967

ELECTRONIC TIMING CIRCUIT Original Filed June 22, 1948 IN I 'EN TOR.

Jzdm L 50/002072,

Patented Jan. 1, 1952 UNITED- Q-FFLCE at m or Illinois Original application: Jun I 35538: Divided and" this applicatibneOctoBef 29, .1948,:SerialNo. .57,314

gjciai g; (c1. git-e21 The inventionv relates: to timing. devices and has reference more: particnlarly to anielectronicf timing. circuit for successively" periorming. a'cycleofltiming operations fl-- controlling: the supply: oi current to electniciapparatus such. as the weld;- ing= circuit;v disclosed in. the Sciakyg Patent No.. 2,431,083; granted November 18,, 194% w n b e t of he nv n i n; t ovi an improved:v electronic timing circuit forr use in er -1 ergizing a welding circuit-or. the like by'supplying current thereto during, predetermined. internals in. controlled. amounts; and wherein. the off-time betweenrenergizationscan bevaried within limitse Another. objectofi'the invention is; to provide an; improved timer. of; the fullgelectronic type. incorporating. electric valves for controlling. the potential ofcerta-in grid circuits: connecting. with the valves, said. control being. efiected; by the magnitude of: thecurrentlcaused, to! flow through.- the valves, and wherein the. valves, are-renderedconductive in an alternate manner; so that: the: potential of the grid circuits with respect to a cathode terminal is alternately neggati lev and positive. A

More particularly an:- object of the invention is tc provide an electronic timing circuitifor successively performing. a-cycle of tinting operat ns and wherein; thecircuit. includes; apai 0t electricvalves. alteiznately rendered conductiyeandncn: conductive. for. predetermined; intenvals. so as control' by" current. flow through) the; valves. thev potential of; certain. grid circuits:v haying.- cone nection therewith.

7 Another object resides in the provision of. a timer. circuitv having. alpair of electric valves alternately conductivet and non-conductive wherein the on and." cit-time: periods for. said: valves: may be adjusted; withinlimits in; controlling thev charging and" discharging rates. of, capacitors one. constituting; the; oilZ'-t ime'capa-; citor and the other the. on tiine capacitor v Another object of. theinventionis to. provide a fu l-1 tr i t i emit mer mfii e pair of electricvalveszwhich are: alternately coneductive with only onelvalve conducting. at. a tixnel and wherein the switch. from; one -valize the other. is automatic.

Another object to, provide an.- electronic timing circuit of the character. described-which will-l incorporate. phase shifting means for presetting the instants in. the half.- cycle periods. oi the source-during which. the electric. Valves are ren; deredcondiictiveiso that? the electric. energy sup. plied to. thewelding circuit" for. eaclienergization can.- be regulated as tov for. obtaining. the desirdl'ieat controli u nearing? acrosjsltlie 59 e' 22; 1948,. Serial: No.

A urth r bict to ro d an i p ed tin ing. circuit tor ontronme the. firirigo'ffr spectiye groans ofelectric discharge valves; and. which circuit will be 'rlatitely 'siiriplein. con;-

st nction -parts but posit'iteiand mqegm qpeg n re. sam mange? I 't icall o e t d p tJ sldeto. asouroa ofarfirnann'azeurrent indicated by leads Li 13 .1 Oniiis'output side the transformer: 39 connects'withZ aiullfi'wave rectifier if lwhich supplies mee current through. the leads 32 and 3&J'toftli voltageldivide'fihdi catedrbynumeral. 3 the. sapi 'Ideinigl connected. by; thecondnctor to -the amma. cathode point. A and: which -conn ection-can; be ad jiist'ed .iii.orider that-thepotentialapplied to point. acetate-made sufiiciently positiye to-secure. the desired mode of operation; npbattery 36hr. other suitaldle source of: direct current ifsf connected. acrhss the resisfg ance- 31-;- prlovided 'witli'. amilrantyy'or' adjustable. taps and across the. resistance 38Tinseris there; 1 1; n inatm'g. contact as located series with the} battery The; ne ative and; 6f? the-battery isconnectedto magnetic of the gas. fi1led,. grid controlled tube M and? accordingly the" said tape is maintained in a non-conductive. st te the, contact is Cl'ose'dI In; the grid? cathode circuit ot thetuhe 4 I. there. is also applied. nealilifoltages-irom the. secondary. or the Daliing" transformer; 42 'c nn c'tedity "conduct-are 43? to source-of alternatingl' current indicated by leads L and. phase shifting. cirouitfiiicliiding, a; potentiometer. {4f and' the ondenser. 4'5 Cong ncct'ed; hz..oneiofi'said'condhctorsl Inope ationof the circ'uit.it'tvilllhe seen that c rl-em Willi flow fizom the positive end""o'f' resis'tance. 314. througlitli'e. acuum tube 4'5.hav1 g? thcon'troli' R1341; through lieresistan cellwihl e. 'and'then. through tlif cathode circuit. offsaidlt'ulj either. the as filled; grid cpntr'oneawube 5a or 5 l; depen ing; on" which tube is" conducting" since only one tube can. conduct at the Same time; A'ssuniiiig tl iat the tube 50. Has been co'ndhctin g; andtfie initiating contact 39 is; opened; the condenser. 52,; which "was: harged. to the voltage a9;-

p e eat eee e i positive peaks 42 will presently bring the grid of tube 4| sufficiently positive so that the tube will become conductive. Current will now take a second path from the cathode of tube 46, namely, through the plate to cathode of tube), through resistance 53, through 50, plate to cathode of the same,

generated by peaking transformer through resistance 54, through resistance 55, to H the negative end of the resistance 34 by means of conductor 56.

A third path for current flow from the cathode of tube 46 will be through tube 4|,fp1ate to c'ath- I ode, through the parallel circuit includingthe resistances 31, 38 and the condenser 52, through the vacuum tube 51, plate to; cathode, through variable resistors 54 and 13 with instantaneous polarities as indicated. The terminal of 54 connected to the cathode of 50 is positive. The end connected to the-grid of 58 is negative. Therefore the voltage between cathode and grid is the the resistance 58, tube 50, resistances v54 and55, to the negative end of resistance 34 by means of Y.

conductor 56. A fourth path for said current flow will be from the cathode of tube 4| through a. portion of the resistance 53 tothe slider connecting therewith, through the condenser 6|,

through adjustable resistances 62 and 63,'through tube 56, resistances 54 and 55 to conductor 56,"

and returning to the negative end of 34.

The additional current flowing through 54 increases the voltage drop across-this resistance and makes'the grid point B connecting therewith more positive than it was'inthe quiescentstate." During passa'ge' of this current point B is brought to 'the'same potential as point A,-

whereas point i C remains substantially at -the same negative potential with respect to as it was during mnequiescent state. As the condenser'6 i charges by current flowing through" the resistances 63" and SZthe voltage aorossthis condenser risesexponen'tially, at the same time the voltage across the resistances 62 and 63 is dropping exponentially;

'In examining-the grid-cathode circuit of the gas filled grid controlled-tube '64 we-find the cathode circuit includes the primary winding of a transformer 65 and a resistance 66 'in series with resistances 62 and 63. A peaking transformer 61 is also electrically connected'with the control grid "68' of 'said tube 64, thepeaking trans-- former having electricalconnection with the leadsLi" and L2 of 'a' source of alternating cur-- rent; The potentiometer and the condenser I I represent a phase shift'cireuit in series rela-- tion with the power input circuit of the "peaking transformer 61. The voltages ofthegrid-oathode of tube 64 are thereforethe voltages across 62 and 63, the negative end of which is connected to the grid 68, and the peaked voltage across resistance 12. As the condenser 6| charges, the voltage from plate to cathode rises and at the same time the voltage'between cathode and grid is becoming less negative. A'point isfinally reached at which one of the peak voltages will causethe tube 64 to conduct. The tube will discharge the condenser 6| through resistancett and the primary of transformer 65. This dis-- charge current generates a pulse voltage in the secondary of transformer 65 located in the gridcathode circuit of tube 46. The grid 41 of this tube is driven highly negative, thus stopping the flow of current the rest of the circuit momentarily.

When the pulse, which is a few micro seconds in duration, is over, tube 46 becomes conductive again and current flows through48, through tubej 5|, through resistances I3 and 55 to'the negative side of 34. The switch from. tube 50 to5|' is ei-l fected in this manner. Whiletube 5|],is con; ducting the condenser 14 is charged to the volte.

point A through the tube and through:

sum of the voltage across 54 and 55 with the negative, connected to the grid. This prevents tube .50 from conducting.

The voltages-inthe grid-cathode circuit of tube 5| .are as follows: From the cathode of tube 5| to the negative end of the voltage drop across 13, the positive end of 13 being connected to-the 'positive end of 55 with the negative end being connected to the grid of tube 5|. Since the voltage drop across 13- is greater thanthat across 55 the'net voltage between grid and cathode'oftube 5 i will be the-difference between these two voltages, with the grid now being'positive with" respect to the cathode. "When tube 46 becomes"- conductive againafter the'pulse is passed, the

tube 5! conducts the currentand tube |50*i s- 5 maintained non conducting After condenser-6| has discharged through tube 64, 'thetube 4| is held non-conductive by virtue of the charge on condenser 52 which holds the grid tube 4| 'negative with respect'to its cathode.' -The condenser 52 is discharged at an exponentialrate by resistances 31' and 31 in-se ries. As the voltage across 52 drops ofi, ajpointj will finally' be reached at whichone] of the peaks from peaking transformer- 42 will make tube 4| conductive and it will cause current to flow along the'paths previously described.

During the time condenser 5| is charging, the

potential'difierence between points A and -C will;

be zero but the potential between points A and:

1' B will remain substantially the same as for the oiT-time period, thus keeping the firing valves which are controlledb'y thegrids to' which point B is connected in the'nonconducting' state, where'- as those valves whose gr'ids are connected to point C are made conductive. After the on-time period which-is regulated by adjustment of 62 and 63, the condenser 6| discharges and point C is again: brought to a high negative potential'with'respect I to' point-A, thus making both groups of firing valves non-conductive. This condition remains until condenser 52 discharges through 31, theoff-time adjustment potentiometer. a

The position of: the peaked secondarywoltageacross the winding of transformer 42 may be shifted with'respect to the linevoltage wave by adjustment'of'55 in'the phaseshifting network connected 'to this transformer. This'provides adj ustm'ent-of the point at which the firing starts. 5 The iposition 'of the 'peak in the secondary of transformer; 61 may be adjusted by varying T0 in'the phase'shifting network connected to thistransformer. Both peaks may be shifted inde pendently' or may be adjusted from one phase shift network sirnul'taneously.

In "order to prevent the re-ignition of {tube 4| before the current through the windings off a welding transformer, controlled by the timing circuit,,-has entirely disappeared, the invention provides a' protective circuit, as hown in the drawing, in electrical connection w tptneuim j circnit or said figure rneg senders s is and 71 are connected across a part ot'a pri any wi r id ing 'oftl ie welding' transformer such as the coils I! and IB. While current is flowing through these coils, thevoltageacross the same is rectified by tubes '18" and?!) producing. a voltagedrop across resistance 80 which Will havevthenpolarity as indicated. The negative end of this resistor is connected to grid 8| of tube ll" and thus the pea]; voltages from the transformer 42 are prevented fror'n firing tube 4| until the voltage disapp'ears entirely across the resistance? 8 soon as this voltage-disappears, the nei'rt positive pulse of the peaking transformer-42} will firethe tube at, provided the condenser Slha's suffi ciently" discharged -to allow'the cir function in; the manner pr"""usl'-y describ As a summary of the present timing circ u i t it can be pointed out that operation is initiated by opening the contact 39. Current flows through the single path including the resistance 48 and will continue to flow only through this one path until condenser 52 discharges sufficiently to cause tube 4| to fire. Current then flows through a plurality of paths and the firing of M starts the on-time period. During this period both condensers 52 and 6| are charged, the charging of 52 taking place rapidly and the charging of 6! depending on the adjustment of 62 and 63. When 6| discharges by the firing of tube 6s it ends the on-time period. With the end of the period current flow is stopped which results in switching from tube 50 to or vice versa. The off-time period then begins and current flows through the single path again, the period being determined by the discharging of condenser 52. By adjusting the taps on resistance 3? this off-time period can be varied.

In analyzing the present circuit it will be seen that the resistor 34 is connected across the source of direct current and that cathode terminal A connecting therewith is adjustable for obtaining the desired positive potential. A control circuit is also connected across the source of direct current in parallel relation with resistor 34, the said circuit including the normally conductive valve 46, resistor 48 and valves 50 and 5| which are connected in parallel with each other through their cathode circuits. The current flowing through this path is materially limited by reason of the resistor 48. However, the timing device includes an auxiliary circuit which by-passes resistor t8, the said auxiliary circuit including the start valve 4! and the stop valve 64 together with their associated condensers and peaking transformers. When this auxiliary circuit is conducting a much greater amount of current is permitted to flow through either valve 50 or 5!, whichever is conducting at the time, and accordingly, the potential of one of the grid terminals, either B or C, is caused to change from negative to positive with respect to the cathode terminal A. Since the switch from valve 50 to 5! or vice versa, is entirely automatic the present timing circuit will control the firing of independent groups of ignitrons and which are caused to fire in an alternate manner with controlled on and ofi-time periods.

This application is a divisional of my copending application Serial No. 34,538, filed June 22, 1948 and entitled Sequence Control Circuit and Timer.

It is to be understood that many other uses and applications of the invention will be apparcut to those skilled in the art and it is not de ac'terdescribed for controlling the potential "be twee'irafirst terminal and second terminals re spe'ctivel'y, the combination with a source or di rectcurrent-of a potentiometer connected across said directcurrent source and having said first terminal adjustably conn'ec'ted-theretoa con- 61 circuit also connected across said direct cu exit; source" including a normally coridu(itive' van d a; current limiting resistor in series with ap lelcircuit comprising-spanof electric val parallel relation and adapted I healterna-tel y conductive; said valves being of the gas filled type and each having an anode, a. cathode and a, grid, a resistor in the cathode circuit of each valve, 2. common resistor in the cathode-grid circuits of said valves, a capacitor joining the cathode circuits and having adjustable connection with the resistor in each cathode circuit, said capacitor and resistors permitting conductivity of only one valve at a time to pass current in said control circuit since the charging of the capacitor by said current flow together with the voltage drop across the resistors applies a negative potential to the grid of both valves thus maintaining the non-conductive valve in a non-conductive state, and said capacitor and resistors effecting a switch in the conductivity of the valves when the flow of current in the control circuit is momentarily interrupted since the discharging of the capacitor together with the voltage drop across the resistors due to said flow of discharging current applies a negative potential to the grid of the valve that was conducting and a positive potential to the grid of the valve that was nonconductive, said second terminals having electrical connection respectively with the cathode circuits at a point between the cathode and the resistor in each circuit, an auxiliary circuit in shunt relation with the current limiting resistor for bypassing the said resistor to increase current flow through the conductive valve of said pair of valves, said auxiliary circuit including a start valve and a stop valve, and said stop valve when rendered conductive momentarily rendering the normally conductive valve nonconductive to interrupt current How in said control circuit.

2. A timing and control device as defined by claim 1, additionally including capacitor means having electrical connection with the start valve, other capacitor means having electrical connec tion with the stop valve, and wherein the capaci tor means for the start valve controls the conductivity thereof by its rate of discharge, and wherein the other capacitor means for the stop valve controls the conductivity thereof by its rate of charge.

3. In a timing and control circuit for controlling the potentials between a first terminal and second terminals respectively, a Potentiometer connected across a source of direct current and having the first terminal adjustably connected thereto, a control circuit also connected across said direct current source in parallel with the potentiometer and including a current limiting resistor in series with a parallel circuit including a pair of electric valves each having an anode, a cathode and a, grid, means in the cathode circuits of said 7, valves, and in the cathode-grid circuits thereof for controlling the conductivity of said pair of valves, whereby only one valve is conductive at a time and whereby a switch is effected in the conductivity of the valves when flow of current in the control circuit is momentarily interrupted, said second terminals having electrical connection with the cathode circuits of the electric valves respectively, and means for increasing current flow through the conductive valve of said pair of valves to change the potential of the second terminal thereof with respect to the first terminal including an auxiliary circuit in shunt relation with the current limiting resistor for bypassing said resistor, a start valve and a, stop valve included in said auxiliary circuit, capacitor means respectively for controlling the conductivity of said start valve and stop valve, and means controlled by the conductivity of said stop JULIUS L. SOLOMON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date Andrews July 9, 1940 Dawson Nov. 25, 1941 Holder Mar. 6, 1945 Smith Mar. 20, 1945 Miller Aug. 13, 1946 Dimond Feb. 3, 1948 McCreary Jan. 4, 1949 Solomon May 10, 1949 

